New ordinance in place to help heighten pedestrian and bike safety on increasingly busy downtown sidewalks and streets

Beginning Feb. 25, 2015, the City of San José will no longer allow bikes on specific downtown sidewalks.

The partial ban, City of San José Ordinance No. 29515, approved unanimously by San José City Council on Dec. 2, 2014, is in effect on San Fernando, First, Second, Third and Fourth streets in the downtown core.

Those violating the ordinance will be subject to fines ranging from $100 to $1,000. Repeated violators could be charged with a misdemeanor and up to six months in jail. Exemptions of the ban include children 12 and younger and their guardians, law enforcement officers and situations when bike lanes are blocked.

The partial ban comes after a significant rise in downtown pedestrian traffic resulting from increases and projected increases in residents, employees, students, visitors and company relocations.

Over the last 18 months, the City of San José sought community input and completed key pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure improvements. This included an analysis of pedestrian activity in the downtown core where there are higher levels of pedestrian activity, and installing street signs and pavement markings that provide notice to walk bikes on sidewalks. The signage and markings are being complemented by an education and outreach campaign that focuses on communicating that “sidewalks are for walking” and that “bikeways and streets are for bicycling.” The campaign targets people who live, work, attend school or shop in the downtown core.

While the ban puts priority on those who travel by foot, people on bicycles have access to a network of bikeways on eight downtown core streets.

Components of downtown bikeways include green bike lanes on San Fernando St., parking protected bike lanes on Fourth St., and buffered bike lanes on Third, Fourth, Tenth and Eleventh streets. Additional bikeways downtown will be developed over the next two years.

The City of San Joséis committed to open and honest government and strives to consistently meet the community’s expectations by providing excellent service, in a positive and timely manner, and in the full view of the public.